Compressed natural gas fueling system with integrated fill receptacle

ABSTRACT

A compressed natural gas fueling system includes a frame arrangement with at least one tank disposed therein and an inlet that can receive a compressed natural gas fueling nozzle to fill the at least one tank. The fueling system can be attached with and supported by frame rails behind a cabin of a vehicle such that the inlet is positioned above the frame rails.

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This U.S. patent application claims priority to and is a continuationpatent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/256,792 filedon Sep. 6, 2016. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/256,792 claimspriority to and is a continuation patent application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/076,836 filed on Nov. 11, 2013 (now U.S. Pat.No. 9,499,047). The entireties of the patent applications mentioned inthis paragraph are herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to on-board compressed natural gas storage (CNG)systems for vehicles powered by CNG.

BACKGROUND

Compressed natural gas (CNG) may be used as a fuel for certain vehicles.Unlike gasoline, CNG is typically stored in several on-boardhigh-pressure tanks. These tanks and associated component may beretrofit to the vehicle after initial assembly.

SUMMARY

A compressed natural gas fuel system includes a housing that can bedisposed behind a cabin of a truck, at least one tank within thehousing, and an inlet that can receive a compressed natural gas fuelingnozzle and be in fluid communication with the at least one tank. Thehousing can further be attached with and supported by frame rails of thetruck such that the at least one tank and inlet are positioned above theframe rails.

A compressed natural gas fuel system includes a frame that can bedisposed behind a cabin of a truck, a plurality of tanks within andsupported by the frame, and a fill receptacle that can receivecompressed natural gas for at least one of the tanks. The frame canfurther be supported by frame rails of the truck such that the tanks andfill receptacle are positioned above the frame rails.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a truck outfitted with a compressednatural gas (CNG) fueling system.

FIG. 2 is an exploded assembly view of a CNG fueling system.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a CNG fueling system with access andside panels removed.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a CNG fueling system supported on frame rails.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to beunderstood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examplesand other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. Thefigures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggeratedor minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not tobe interpreted as limiting but merely as a representative basis forteaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the presentinvention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand,various features illustrated and described with reference to any one ofthe figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or moreother figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustratedor described. The combinations of features illustrated providerepresentative embodiments for typical applications. Variouscombinations and modifications of the features consistent with theteachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particularapplications or implementations.

Referring to FIG. 1, a truck 10 includes a frame 12 having a front end14, cabin 16 and wheel tire/axle assemblies 18 attached therewith. Theframe 12 includes frame rails 20, 22, which are arranged generallyparallel to and spaced apart from one another, and crossmembers 24, 26attached with the frame rails 20,22 to provide structural support forthe frame rails 20,22.

A compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling system 28 is supported on andattached with the frame rails 20, 22 and positioned behind the cabin 16.The CNG fueling system 28 provides for the storage of CNG that can beused to power movement of the truck 10. The CNG fueling system 28, inthis example, includes a housing 30 with access panels 32, 34. And, thewidth is approximately equal to the width of the truck 10 so as to notsignificantly impact aerodynamic properties of the truck 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the CNG fueling system 28 includes aplurality of cylindrical tanks 36 stacked in this example, on theirsides such that their axes are oriented generally perpendicular to theframe rails 20, 22. In other examples, the tanks 36 may take anysuitable form and be arranged in any suitable fashion.

Base 38, corner brackets 40 and cross braces 42 are arranged to form aframe within which the tanks 36 are mounted. Tank supports 46 areattached between the corner brackets 40 to reinforce the frame andprovide mounting structures for the tanks 36.

Each of the tanks 36 includes front and rear mounts 48, 50 at opposingends. The mounts 48, 50 are attached with the tank supports 46. Loadsassociated with the tanks 36 are transferred through the mounts 48, 50and tank supports 46 to the corner brackets 40 and base 38. A valveassembly 52 is also operatively associated with each of the tanks 36.The valve assemblies 52 provide fluid access to the tanks 36.

A manifold mounting bracket 54 is attached with the corner brackets 40on a same end of the CNG fueling system 28 as the front mounts 48. Amanifold assembly 55 operatively arranged with a fill receptacle 56,high and low pressure gages 57, and outlet ports 58, 59 is attached withthe manifold mounting bracket 54. The fill receptacle 56 is configuredto receive a fueling nozzle for CNG. The manifold assembly 55 defines aseries of passageways that connect with the valve assemblies 52 viapiping (not shown) to direct CNG from the fill receptacle 56 to at leastone of the valve assemblies 52 to fill the corresponding tank(s) 36. Thehigh and low pressure gages 57 are arranged to indicate pressuresassociated with the CNG fueling system 28 (e.g., pressures within thetanks 36, etc.) The manifold assembly 55 further defines a series ofpassageways that connect with the valve assemblies 52 via the piping todirect CNG from the tanks to the outlet ports 58, 59 when actuated, toempty the tanks 36.

A filter 60 and regulator 61 are attached with the tank supports 46above and below the manifold mounting bracket 54 respectively. Theoutlet port 59 connects with the filter 60 and regulator 61 via piping(not shown). The filter 60, as the name suggests, filters CNG from thetanks 36 before it passes to the regulator 61. The regulator 61 controlsthe flow of CNG provided to an engine of the vehicle 10.

In other examples, the manifold assembly 55, fill receptacle 56, highand low pressure gages 57, outlet ports 58, 59, filter 60, and regulator61 (and any other components) may be mounted in any suitable location onor within the CNG fueling system 28. The manifold assembly 55, filter 60and/or regulator 61, for example, each could be located near a top andon a different side of the CNG fueling system 28, etc. The manifoldassembly 55, in still other examples, may be omitted such that the fillreceptacle 56 and outlet ports 58, 59 fluidly connect with the valveassemblies 52 via piping (not shown) or the like. That is, a manifoldneed not be used to distribute CNG from the fill receptacle 56 to thetanks 36. The fill receptacle 56, in one such arrangement, may belocated near a corner of the CNG fueling system 28 adjacent to the base38. Other arrangements are also contemplated.

As apparent to those of ordinary skill, the fill receptacle 56, high andlow pressure gages 57, outlet ports 58, 59, filter 60 and regulator 61(as well as the entirety of the CNG fueling system 28) is positionedabove the frame rails 20, 22. That is unlike previous systems, the fillreceptacle 56 and associated components arranged to fluidly interfacewith the valve assemblies 52 and piping are carried by the frame of theCNG fueling system 28. This eliminates the need for a separate fuelmanagement module including one or more fill receptacles and associatedfluid interface components to be attached with the vehicle 10 such that,for example, the one or more fill receptacles are located below a top ofthe frame rails 20, 22. Eliminating the aforementioned module reducescomplexity and therefore assembly time as fewer independent componentsare attached with the vehicle 10. Put a different way, integrating thefuel management module with the CNG fueling system 28 frees up space ona side of the frame rail 20 that would otherwise be occupied by aseparate fuel management module.

The housing 30 further includes a cap 62 arranged to cover the tanks 36,a rear panel 64 attached with the corner brackets 40 on a side of thehousing 30 opposite the access panels 32, 34, and side panels 66attached with the base 38 and corner brackets 40, and spanning a widthof the CNG fueling system 28. The housing 30 further includes a frontpanel 68 attached with the corner brackets 40 and defining openings 70,72 to accommodate the access panels 32, 34 respectively, and associatedpanel frames 74, 76 and seals 78, 80 respectively. Other examples maylack a housing in favor of a frame, etc.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended thatthese embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims.The words used in the specification are words of description rather thanlimitation, and it is understood that various changes can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Aspreviously described, the features of various embodiments can becombined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not beexplicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments couldhave been described as providing advantages or being preferred overother embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one ormore desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the artrecognize that one or more features or characteristics can becompromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which dependon the specific application and implementation. These attributes mayinclude, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cyclecost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability,weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodimentsdescribed as less desirable than other embodiments or prior artimplementations with respect to one or more characteristics are notoutside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particularapplications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fuel system, comprising: a frame that isconfigured to be attached to a frame rail of a vehicle such that theframe is positioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind acabin of the vehicle, the frame includes a driver side pair of verticalbrackets, a passenger side pair of vertical brackets, a first driverside tank support attached between the driver side pair of verticalbrackets, a first passenger side tank support attached between thepassenger side pair of vertical brackets; a cylindrical tank thatincludes a first end and an opposing second end; the cylindrical tank ishoused within the frame that such that axis of the cylindrical tank isoriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle; andthe cylindrical tank is supported by a portion of the first driver sidetank support and a portion of the first passenger side tank support. 2.The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a manifold that is influid communication with the cylindrical tank.
 3. The fuel system ofclaim 2, further comprising the manifold assembly is configured to beattached to a portion of the frame.
 4. The fuel system of claim 2, themanifold assembly includes at least one of a fill receptacle, a highpressure gauge, a low pressure gauge, or an outlet port.
 5. The fuelsystem of claim 4, wherein the fill receptacle is in fluid communicationwith a valve assembly in which the valve assembly is in fluidcommunication with the cylindrical tank.
 6. The fuel system of claim 4,wherein the outlet port is in fluid communication with an engine of thevehicle.
 7. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a filter thatfilters a content of the cylindrical tank prior to delivery to an engineof the vehicle.
 8. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising aregulator that controls a portion of flow of the content delivered to anengine of the vehicle.
 9. The fuel system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a portion of the first end of the cylindrical tank issupported by the driver side tank support; and a portion of the secondend of the cylindrical tank is supported by the passenger side tanksupport.
 10. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising one or morepanels to cover the frame.
 11. The fuel system of claim 10, furthercomprising an access panel that provides access to a manifold assemblyand the manifold assembly is located inside the one or more panels. 12.A vehicle, comprising: a first frame rail and a second frame railparallel to the first frame rail; a frame that is configured to beattached to the frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame ispositioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of thevehicle, the frame includes one or more vertical brackets and one ormore supports coupled to the one or more vertical brackets; acylindrical tank that includes a first end and an opposing second end; amanifold assembly in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank; andthe cylindrical tank is housed within the frame and supported by the oneor more supports such that axis of the cylindrical tank is orientedgenerally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle.
 13. Thevehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is a truck.
 14. The vehicle ofclaim 12, further comprising one or more cross members that structurallysupport the first frame rail and the second frame rail.
 15. The vehicleof claim 12, further comprising: a manifold that is in fluidcommunication with the cylindrical tank; and the manifold assembly isconfigured to be at least one of attached to a portion of the frame orwithin the frame.
 16. A fuel system, comprising: a frame that isconfigured to be attached to a first frame rail and a second frame railof a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the first framerail and the second frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of thevehicle, the frame includes a driver side pair of vertical brackets, apassenger side pair of vertical brackets, a first driver side tanksupport attached between the driver side pair of vertical brackets, afirst passenger side tank support attached between the passenger sidepair of vertical brackets; two or more cylindrical tanks, wherein thetwo or more cylindrical tanks each include a first end and an opposingsecond end; a manifold assembly in fluid communication with at least oneof the two or more cylindrical tanks; the two or more cylindrical tanksare housed within the frame that such that axis of the two or morecylindrical tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame railof the vehicle; and the two or more cylindrical tanks are supported by aportion of the first driver side tank support and a portion of the firstpassenger side tank support.
 17. The fuel system of claim 16, furthercomprising a filter and a regulator that are each mounted on or withinthe frame, wherein the filter is configured to filter gas from theplurality of tanks, the regulator is configured to be in fluidcommunication with the filter.
 18. The fuel system of claim 17, furthercomprising an inlet configured to receive a fueling nozzle and be influid communication with the plurality of tanks.
 19. The fuel system ofclaim 16, further comprising one or more cross members that structurallysupport the first frame rail and the second frame rail.
 20. The fuelsystem of claim 16, further comprising the manifold assembly includes atleast one of a fill receptacle, a high pressure gauge, a low pressuregauge, or an outlet port.